NGBideas

Innovation Factory in Hamilton, Ontario is one of 17 regional innovation centres across Ontario providing free advisory services, training, and mentorship to entrepreneurs at every stage - from idea to scale-up. With a particular strength in life sciences, roughly 35% of the 850+ companies Innovation Factory supports each year come from that sector, drawn in part by Hamilton's exceptional ecosyste...

Skinopathy is a medical technology company in Toronto that is on a mission to provide accessible healthcare on demand. By integrating advanced artificial intelligence with smartphone technology, Skinopathy allows patients to screen for skin cancer and other conditions from home, bridging the gap between early detection and specialized medical intervention. In this episode, host Jim Wilson speaks w...

Join host Jim Wilson for a conversation with Zaid Atto, founder and CEO of Xpan in Vaughan, Ontario. Xpan is a medical device company focused on minimally invasive surgery, developing a new approach to surgical trocars used in laparoscopic procedures - tools that haven’t changed much in decades, despite being used in millions of procedures every year. Zaid shares how the idea started while he was...

NMX Research and Solutions is a specialized biopharma firm in Laval, Quebec, that is helping scientists find new medicines faster. By using tools like NMR spectroscopy and Fragment-Based Lead Discovery, NMX bridges the gap between lab research and real-world cures while mentoring the next generation of Canadian biotech leaders. In this episode Jim Wilson sits down with founder Steven LaPlante to t...

This week we reach into our archive for a throwback conversation with Matthew Miller who is a distinguished scientist and academic leader at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.  Listen in as Matthew shares his journey from a small town in Ontario's cottage ciuntry to becoming a key leader in Canada's infectious disease research community. Listen in as Matthew discusses how serendipity and me...

Vive Crop Protection is a leading agri-tech company in Mississauga, Ontario that is dedicated to helping farmers "do more with less." By focusing on development over discovery, Vive combines synthetic chemistry with bio-based pesticides to create high-performance products that lower costs for growers while reducing the environmental footprint of traditional farming. In this episode, host Jim Wilso...

 AxCell Labs is a biotech startup company in Sherbrooke Quebec that is developing a new generation of biomaterials designed to help the body heal itself.   Their core innovation is a specialized scaffold made from bacterial cellulose—originally derived from a local kombucha culture—that provides a physical structure for human cells to colonize and regenerate soft tissue lost to trauma, surgery, or...

Join host Jim Wilson for a conversation with Simon LaPointe , founder and CEO of EncephalX in Sherbrooke, Quebec. EncephalX is a medical device company focused on helping people recovering from severe head injuries and strokes. Their main invention, the Dynamic Cranioplasty System , aims to turn two dangerous brain surgeries into one by creating a special implant that allows the brain to swell and...

Join host Jim Wilson for a conversation with Dylan Horvath who is founder and principal of Cortex Design in Toronto, Ontario.  Cortex helps MedTech teams take medical devices from early concept through to commercialization, with a focus on designing for real users and the full set of stakeholders who influence adoption.  Dylan shares how a childhood obsession with robotics led him into systems des...

In this episode of NGBi Lab, host Jim Wilson welcomes Loreen Wales, the Founder and CEO of Revive Wellness and My Viva. Discover the harrowing origin story that fueled Loreen's mission: a near-fatal accident at age 19 that left her with a miracle survival and a relentless drive to transform how we deliver patient care. From her early days as a dietitian in Edmonton to realizing that the healthcare...

In this episode of NGBi Lab, host Jim Wilson welcomes Akeem Gardner, CEO and Founder of Canurta Therapeutics. Discover how Akeem transitioned from law school and farming into the biotech space to build a company developing botanical drug candidates for neurodegenerative diseases, with a lead program targeting ALS. From his unconventional entrepreneurial journey and the shift from ingredient suppli...

In this episode of NGBiPlus, Jim Wilson sits down with Mary Georgious and Liam Brown who are members of the team at McCallum-Sather Architects to explore the company's forward-thinking approach to sustainable, integrated design in the life sciences sector. Mary and Liam share how their architectural and mechanical engineering expertise come together to shape high-performance lab environments and d...

Listen in as Jim Wilson soeaks with Dr. Amol Deshpande who shares his journey from a Toronto upbringing to a diverse career spanning chronic pain medicine, emergency and cardiac care, healthcare consulting, and his experience wirking in venture support at MaRS. Amol reflects on his roles at UHN, WSIB, Toronto Rehab, and AIoT Health, as well as launching his podcast Reboot Health . Amol also discus...

Join Jim Wilson for an engaging conversation with Nima Zamani, co-founder of Cobionix.  Nima shares his inspiring journey of building a cutting-edge robotics company and how Cobionix is revolutionizing healthcare with its needle-free AI-powered robotic injection technology that is addressing labor shortages, and pioneering autonomous medical solutions. Nima also delves into the challenges of entre...

In this episode Jonathan Bramson walks us through his journey from growing up in Montreal to pursuing a PhD at McGill and becoming a leading voice in Canadian gene and cell therapy research. Jonathon reflects on his early influences, academic anxieties, and the unexpected turns that led him into oncology and biotech. We explore the evolution of gene therapy, the power of mentorship, the realities...

In this episode of NGBiLab, host Jim Wilson speaks with Nicholas Calvert, Alexia Kirby, and Adam Shuhendler who are the innovative minds behind YellowBird Diagnostics. Discover how this dynamic team spun their academic startup out of the University of Ottawa and how they and their team are revolutionizing disease diagnosis with cutting-edge chemical technologies. From their entrepreneurial journey...

In this engaging episode, Jim Wilson sits down with Marc Jeschke who is a globally renowned surgeon and researcher to explore his inspiring journey from growing up in Germany to becoming a leading figure in burn care and medical research. Marc shares insights into his early life, the challenges and triumphs of his career, and his vision for the future of healthcare. Discover how his passion for in...

In this archived episode of NGBiLab, host Jim Wilson revisits his conversation with Bronwyn Bridges, CEO and co-founder of PragmaClin, a pioneering startup from St. John's, Newfoundland. PragmaClin's innovative digital tool, Prims, is designed to enhance the assessment of Parkinson's disease, offering more objective and efficient pathways for neurological care. Bronwyn reflects on her journey, the...

In this archive episode of NGBideas, host Jim Wilson sits down with Professor Christine Allen from the University of Toronto's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. Join us as we explore Dr. Allen's remarkable journey from her early days in Ottawa to becoming a globally recognized leader in drug formulation and development. Discover her insights on the integration of AI in drug development, her experien...

In this throwback episode of NGBiLab, host Jim Wilson sits down with Kevin Neal and Jean-Francois Mio from Tatum Bioscience in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Discover how they are revolutionizing cancer treatment by programming bacteria to become cancer-fighting drugs. Learn about their journey, the challenges they face, and their vision for the future of immunotherapy. Tune in to explore the cutting-edge in...

In this throwback episode of NGBideas, host Jim Wilson sits down with Brigitte Nolet, President and CEO of Roche Canada Pharma. They explore Brigitte's journey as a trisector leader, her personal experiences as a patient, and her insights into Canada's life sciences sector. Discover the importance of honesty in leadership and the potential of healthcare innovation. Tune in for an inspiring convers...

This week, we’re throwing it back to when Jim connected with Sydney Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Vessl Prosthetics, based in London, Ontario. Sydney and her team are pioneering next-generation prosthetic solutions specifically designed for below-knee amputees. Their innovative technology features automatic adjustments that ensure a consistently comfortable fit—greatly improving quality of life...

This week, we’re revisiting an episode with Cate Murray , President and CEO of the Stem Cell Network (SCN) in Ottawa. SCN is a Canadian not-for-profit supporting three main objectives: advancing stem cell and regenerative medicine research, training the next generation of researchers, and sharing breakthroughs in this incredible field. Founded in 2001 with federal support, SCN has grown from a few...

Join host Jim Wilson as he sits down with Dr. Arinjay Banerjee and Dr. Volker Gerdts from the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) in Saskatoon. Discover how VIDO is at the forefront of infectious disease research and vaccine development, bridging human and animal health. Learn about their cutting-edge facilities, global partnerships, and the ambitious plans to make Canada a leader i...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Shanil Ebrahim as he shares his journey from Saudi Arabia to Canada, navigating cultural transitions, and building a successful career in healthcare consulting. Discover how his experiences shaped his leadership style and his vision for creating a lasting impact in the healthcare industry. Shanil's story is one of resilience, adaptability, and a commitme...